by Meredith Chilson Photos by author I’m frustrated, irritated, discouraged, and a bit concerned. I have 18 laying hens. No, I have 18 hens. ONE of them is laying. The others, the Buff Orpingtons and Rhodies – the ones that have faithfully given me enough eggs for my family, and the neighbors, and the neighbors’ […]

by Cortney Cogswell Photos by author Over the past few weeks I’ve noticed personalities develop in the flock. We all know that there will be one alpha male and female, as well as one or two that will be “henpecked.” But nothing much is said about the other personalities that may show up in a […]

by Jennifer Sartell Photos by author A little over a month ago, one of our Lavender Orpington hens decided she wanted to become a mother. She plucked herself a nice broody patch and set up camp in our barn. A quaint little corner between the rabbit cages and where we store the bales of hay […]

by Meredith Chilson Photos by author It has seemed like spring would never arrive. The winter dragged on with snow and ice and zero temperatures. March came in like a lion with blowing snow and went right on out with blowing rain; in fact, April weather was a lot like that in March. Those welcome […]

by Rachel Hurd Anger Photos by author Poor Mabel. Suddenly, our Red Star stopped laying for nearly 2 weeks. Since she started back up, ovulation has been a little out of the ordinary. The first egg was a (beloved) double yolker. The second egg was the monster pictured. It’s nearly 3 1/4 inches long, and […]

by Rachel Hurd Anger Photos by author After weeks of expecting our chickens to lay eggs any moment, and day after day of walking out to the coop and walking back to the house feeling disappointed, Tuesday afternoon I plodded out there thinking it’d be just another eggless day. I’d been taking it a little […]

by Jennifer Burcke During the last few months, I have found myself in a chicken conundrum. After tending to the needs of our seven chicks all week, they force me to do the unthinkable. I shudder to tell you of my poultry-keeping horror. This terrible deed requires me to gather my inner strength and do […]

by Karla T. Q. I have 10 chickens: five Silver Laced Wyandottes and five Buff Orpingtons, all born last February. I was going to get five Black Ameraucauna baby chicks this year and was wondering the best way to integrate them into the flock. If I have a broody chicken should I put the babies […]

  by Rachel Hurd Anger   Today, our hens are 19 weeks old, nearly old enough to begin laying. Waiting for the first egg is starting to resemble the end of pregnancy when all is go, and everyone calls daily to see if mama’s in labor.   Essentially, we are waiting for an event that […]

by Karla T. Q. Our hen is laying eggs on the floor. How to get her in the nesting boxes or doesn’t it matter? — Karen S., West Sunbury, Pennsylvania A. The main reason that I would say it does matter where they lay is that you want to be able to FIND them. For […]